


Comfort

by EmJ93



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 07:14:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16888020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmJ93/pseuds/EmJ93
Summary: Aloth is feeling anxious, and the Watcher wants to help him relax.





	Comfort

 "If you keep pacing back and forth like that, you're going to wear a hole in my floorboards."

Aloth paused in his anxious movements, glancing back across the room at Ariela, who was curled up on her bed, peeking at him over the top of her book, projecting such an air of nonchalance that he was sure it must be fake. She was good at that; keeping her curiosity to herself, at least until he was ready to open up to her about whatever was troubling him. He appreciated it greatly. He'd never exactly been comfortable with people trying to pry into his business.

"I apologise. I..." he trailed off with a sigh, unsure of where to begin. 

Her beautiful, forest green eyes watched him intently, and after a few moments he turned his gaze from hers. He'd already burdened her with so many of his issues, and it didn't seem fair to keep adding more. It wasn't as though she didn't have problems of her own to deal with. Sometimes he wondered whether things hadn't been easier back when he had been on his own.

_Ye dinnae really think that. Havin' yer lass around has tae be better than stewing by yersel'._

"You two had better not be bickering." Ariela's voice cut through his thoughts, and he found her looking at him with a stern expression, one that almost instantly faded away into concern. She nibbled on her lower lip, then tucked a bookmark into her novel, setting it to one side and patting the bed beside her. "Come. Sit."

"I-" 

" _Aloth_." She pouted, and he felt the flimsy excuse that he'd had at the ready die on his lips. How did she always do that? Break through layers of defense with nothing but a look? He wondered, fleetingly, whether she had this effect on everyone, or just on him. "Please, darling? If for no other reason than to spare the structural integrity of the ship."

He let out a deep breath, giving Ariela the best smile that he could muster, and moved to settle next to her on the bed. He didn't feel any better for it, and was about to say as much, until his lover's fingers reached up and began to untie his hair, her slow movements unexpectedly soothing him.

"Gods, love, I think I'd be able to feel your anxiety even without being a cipher." She brushed her fingers through his hair as she spoke, and with each stroke of her hand, he felt a little of his worry fade away. "You're always wound so tightly. You do know that you're allowed to go easy on yourself every once in a while, yes? I'd offer to massage your shoulders or something to help relax you, but I worry that would only make you more tense. I know you're not the most comfortable with too much physical-"

"I actually rather like when you touch me." 

The movement of Ariela's fingers through his hair stopped dead, and it was in that moment that he realised the words that had burst out of his mouth, his face beginning to turn a deep shade of crimson in the process.

_Aye, do ye, Lad? Then maybe you should let her-_

"I-I mean... it is not entirely unpleasant when... that is to say, I-" He stumbled quickly over his words, suddenly very flustered, trying to find the right way to phrase it. Ariela's barely suppressed giggling from behind him was certainly not helping matters.

"It's alright, darling. I know what you mean." 

He hoped that that was true. He had never quite figured out the best way to articulate to her exactly what he meant when it came to any aspect of their relationship. It was all new territory for him, after all, and his tendency to overthink and second-guess himself over every tiny detail was certainly not a benefit in this endeavour. 

He wished he could express to her, clearly, just how important her presence was in his life, how she had always been there for him in his times of need, how she had helped him to figure out what he wanted for himself, and what direction he actually wanted his life to take. He wished that he knew how to tell her that she was his dearest friend in the world, that he loved her in a way that he had never even considered he might love anyone. He wished that he could find the words to tell her that, no matter what happened next, wherever life might take them, even if it were to break them apart, he would always consider her his home.

All that he managed, after awkwardly clearing his throat, was: "I just meant... I feel comfortable around you. Moreso than I have around anyone else."

He hoped that those words were enough.


End file.
